Patronage (transport)

Okay kiddo, let's talk about patronage in transport. Have you ever been on a bus or train before? Well, imagine that you own your own bus or train and you let your friends ride for free because they are your friends. This is called patronage.

In the world of transport, some people use their power and influence to get favors or benefits. If someone important, let's say the mayor, is friends with the owner of a bus company, they might get preferential treatment when it comes to getting the bus to run their way.

But why is this a bad thing? Well, imagine you are also a bus owner but you do not have any friends in high places. You might not get as many passengers or routes as the bus company who has the support of the mayor or other powerful people. This can be unfair, and it can make it hard for smaller or less connected transport companies to compete.

Overall, patronage in transport can affect how the transport system works, who gets to benefit from it, and who doesn't. It is important to try and keep things fair so that everyone has an equal chance of succeeding.